Jose Mourinho says he will not contemplate bringing any more Portuguese players to the Santiago Bernabeu because they find it tough.
The Real Madrid boss was speaking after receiving an award from journalists in Lisbon and cited left-back Fabio Coentrao – signed from Benfica last season for €30m and who played in Friday’s defeat by the Portuguese club – as an example.
“For him it will be special to return to the Estadio da Luz and he will play some of the game, even if it is only for 10 minutes to raise his self-esteem, as he will be applauded because it is not like that at Madrid.”
Mourinho argued that Portuguese players at a club like Real always have to prove themselves.
“They find it very tough, very difficult, because they have to be a Cristiano, a Pepe, a grown man with a special mentality to be able to cope with the situation.
“It is not easy having to prove to people in every minute of every game that you are not just as good as the rest, but much better.
“I don’t think I’ll bring any other players from Portugal to Spain because I don’t like it at all.”
Los Blancos suffered a shock 5-2 defeat at Benfica in the Eusebio Cup, a match played as a tribute to Portuguese legend Eusebio who has been suffering health problems over the past few months.
